17.1 - The Origins of the Constitution

Question 1

What is a constitution?

Answer 1

A collection of rules, principles and conventions which outlines a political system.

Question 2

What is the federal government?

Answer 2

The national government of the USA.

Question 3

What are the three branches of federal government in the USA?

Answer 3

Congress, presidency and the judiciary.

Question 4

What is federalism?

Answer 4

A system of government in which power and sovereignty are shared between the federal government and individual states.

Question 5

How old is the US Constitution?

Answer 5

More than 230 years old.

Question 6

What does the US constitution form the basis of?

Answer 6

Supreme Court rulings
Constraining power of governmental branches

Question 7

When did the US colonies go into war with the British?

Answer 7

After the Declaration of Independence 1776.

Question 8

How many US states went into war with the British in 1776?

Answer 8

13.

Question 9

What article established sovereignty of the states and a weak federal government?

Answer 9

The Articles of Confederation.

Question 10

Why did the Articles of Confederation come under fire?

Answer 10

Rebellions against the new government.

The weakness of the federal government caused debates for a stronger central government.

Question 11

What was the Boston Tea Party?

Answer 11

American rebels against British rule.

‘No taxation without representation’

Question 12

When was the Boston Tea Party?

Answer 12

1773.

Question 13

What was the First Continental Congress?

Answer 13

A petition to King George III for a redress of its grievances.

Question 14

What happened after the First Continental Congress?

Answer 14

British goods were boycotted.

Question 15

When was the First Continental Congress?

Answer 15

1774.

Question 16

What was the Second Continental Congress?

Answer 16

A congress that established support for the war of independence.

Question 17

When was the Second Continental Congress?

Answer 17

1775.

Question 18

What was the Declaration of Independence?

Answer 18

The article that established the 13 colonies as sovereign and legally independent from Great Britain.

Question 19

When was the Declaration of Independence signed?

Answer 19

1776

Question 20

When was the federal government first established and at what event?

Answer 20

1777, Second Continental Congress.

Question 21

How long was the American War of Independence?

Answer 21

1775 - 1783.

Question 22

What was the Annapolis Convention?

Answer 22

The political gathering which recommended a review to the Articles of Confederation.

Question 23

Why was the Annapolis Convention called?

Answer 23

Shay’s Rebellion.

Question 24

What was the Philadelphia Convention?

Answer 24

A replacement for the Articles of Confederation was drafted.

Question 25

When was the Philadelphia Convention held?

Answer 25

1787.

Question 26

When was the US Constitution ratified?

Answer 26

1788

Question 27

When was the first presidential election?

Answer 27

1789.

Question 28

Who was the first president of the US?

Answer 28

George Washington.

Question 29

What was the Bill of Rights?

Answer 29

An amendment from 1 - 10 to quell criticisms of the new Constitution.

Question 30

What were the main disagreements at the Philadelphia Convention?

Answer 30

Size and scope of federal government
Slavery

Question 31

Which two plans did the Philadelphia Convention lead to?

Answer 31

New Jersey Plan
Virginia Plan

Question 32

What was the New Jersey Plan?

Answer 32

A congress of one chamber based on equal representation of states.

Question 33

Who drafted the New Jersey Plan?

Answer 33

William Paterson.

Question 34

What was the Virginia Plan?

Answer 34

A congress of two chambers based on the populations of the states.

Question 35

Who drafted the Virginia Plan?

Answer 35

James Madison.

Question 36

How were the disagreements between the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan settled?

Answer 36

The Connecticut Compromise.
‘The Great Compromise’.

Question 37

What was the Connecticut Compromise?

Answer 37

Congress of two chambers.

One chamber based on state population (House of Representatives)
One chamber based on equal representation (the Senate)

Question 38

Who proposed the Connecticut Compromise?

Answer 38

Roger Sherman.

Question 39

Why did the founding fathers at Philadelphia not want a large federal government?

Answer 39

They represented their states so did not want to give up lots of state power to a federal government.